Expression and Functional Characterization of NR1D2 in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and identification of novel molecular markers remains an important research priority. The nuclear receptor NR1D2 has been implicated in tumor progression in several cancer types, but its role in GC remains incompletely characterized. In this study, we integrated bioinformatic analyses of public transcriptomic datasets with in vitro cell-based assays to evaluate the expression, clinical correlates, and cellular functions of NR1D2 in GC. We found that NR1D2 expression was significantly higher in GC tissues than in adjacent nontumor tissues. High NR1D2 expression was associated with shorter overall survival, whereas disease-free and progression-free survival showed no statistically significant differences. Transcriptomic enrichment analyses suggested associations between NR1D2 expression and lipid metabolism, oncogenic signaling pathways, and immune-related gene signatures. In vitro, siRNA-mediated silencing of NR1D2 was associated with reduced cell viability, increased apoptosis, G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, decreased wound closure, and fewer cells crossing Transwell membranes in two GC cell lines. These findings support further investigation of NR1D2 in GC, although its molecular mechanisms, independent prognostic value, and clinical utility require further validation.